ABSTRACT

These changes may represent an adaptive response that allows tensional homeostasis to be maintained at the high levels of tissue stress experienced in FES. Gene expression studies point to a role for V-CAM1 and PPP1R3C in mediating changes in the dynamic range of mechanosensitivity of TFs. This work identifies FES as a useful model for the study of adaptive physiological responses to mechanical stress.

Novel, multifunctional polymers remain an attractive objective for drug delivery, especially for hydrophilic macromolecular drugs candidates such as peptides, proteins, RNA, and DNA. To facilitate intracellular delivery of DNA, new amine-modified poly(vinyl alcohol)s (PVAs) were synthesized by a two-step process using carbonyl diimidazole activated diamines to produce PVAs with different degrees of amine substitution. The resulting polymers were characterized using NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gelpermation chromatography (GPC). Atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), and zeta-potential were used to investigate polyplexes of DNA with PVA copolymers. These studies suggest an influence of the polycation structure on the morphology of condensed DNA in polyplexes. Significant differences were observed by changing both the degrees of amine substitution and the structure of the PVA backbone, demonstrating that both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions affect DNA condensation. DNA condensation measured by an ethidium bromide intercalation assay showed a higher degree of condensation with pDNA with increasing degrees of amine substitution and more hydrophobic functional groups. These findings are in line with transfection experiments, in which a good uptake of these polymer DNA complexes was noted, unfortunately, with little endosomal escape. Co-administration of chloroquine resulted in increased endosomal escape and higher transfection efficiencies, due to disruption of the endosomal membrane. In this study, the structural requirements for DNA complexation and condensation were characterized to provide a basis for rational design of nonviral gene delivery systems.

Designed changes in thermoresponsive polycation vector configuration via temperature-induced phase transitions enhanced transgene expression. The results indicate that changes in molecular architecture induced by a carefully chosen stimulus during intracellular trafficking can be used to enhance gene delivery.

SummaryMultivalent ions in solution are known to mediate attraction between two like-charged molecules. Such attraction has proved useful in atomic force microscopy (AFM) where DNA may be immobilized to a mica surface facilitating direct imaging in liquid. Theories of DNA immobilization suggest that either 'salt bridging' or fluctuation in the positions of counter ions about both the mica surface and DNA backbone secure DNA to the mica substrate. Whilst both theoretical and experimental evidence suggest that immobilization is possible in the presence of divalent ions, very few studies identify that such immobilization is possible with monovalent ions. Here we present direct AFM evidence of DNA immobilized to mica in the presence of only monovalent ions. Our data depict E. coli plasmid pBR322 adsorbed onto the negatively charged mica both after short (10 min) and long (24 h) incubation periods. These data suggest the need to re-explore current theories of like-charge attraction to include the possibility of monovalent interactions. We suggest that this DNA immobilization strategy may offer the potential to image natural processes with limited immobilization forces and hence enable maximum conformational freedom of the immobilized biomolecule.

The Laugier-Hunziker syndrome is an acquired, benign, macular hyperpigmentation of the lips and buccal mucosa. The nails are often involved with the development of melanonychia. Twenty-two previous cases have been recorded in the literature. We present details of six Caucasian patients with the Laugier-Hunziker syndrome who are the first recorded from Britain. They all had acquired, macular hyperpigmentation of the lips and buccal mucosa. In five of these patients longitudinal pigmented bands were found on the nails. None had other family members affected. Although this is the first report of British patients with this syndrome, we believe that the condition is probably more common than is generally recognized.

Copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide with a fluorescent probe monomer were grafted to branched poly(ethyleneimine) to generate polycations that exhibited lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior. The structures of these polymers were confirmed by spectroscopy, and their phase transitions before and after complexation with DNA were followed using ultraviolet and fluorescence spectroscopy and light scattering. Interactions with DNA were investigated by ethidium bromide displacement assays, while temperature-induced changes in structure of both polymers and polymer-DNA complexes were evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, laser Doppler anemometry, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in water and buffer solutions. The results showed that changes in polymer architecture were mirrored by variations in the architectures of the complexes and that the overall effect of the temperature-mediated changes was dependent on the graft polymer architecture and content, as well as the solvent medium, concentrations, and stoichiometries of the complexes. Furthermore, AFM indicated subtle changes in polymer-DNA complexes at the microstructural level that could not be detected by light scattering techniques. Uniquely, variable-temperature aqueous-phase AFM was able to show that changes in the structures of these complexes were not uniform across a population of polymer-DNA condensates, with isolated complexes compacting above LCST even though the sample as a whole showed a tendency for aggregation of complexes above LCST over time. These results indicate that sample heterogeneities can be accentuated in responsive polymer--DNA complexes through LCST-mediated changes--a factor that is likely to be important in cellular uptake and nucleic acid transport.

Cationic polyrotaxanes for gene delivery have been generated by threading amine-functional cyclodextrins (CDs) onto polyionene cores. These polymers were used to condense nucleic acids into polyelectrolyte complexes of <200 nm radius. Gel retardation and dye exclusion assays demonstrated tighter binding of CD-threaded polyrotaxanes compared to their non-threaded ionene counterparts. Atomic force microscopy showed the presence of well-condensed polyrotaxane-DNA complexes at nitrogen : phophorus (N : P) ratios >1 : 1 and complexes with partly uncondensed DNA at lower N : P ratios. Transfection assays using a luciferase reporter gene in three representative cell lines indicated that a hexamino-CD-based polyrotaxane was an effective nucleic acid delivery agent, inducing comparable and even superior transgene expression levels as poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI). Furthermore, the polyrotaxanes were better tolerated by all three cell lines than PEI as reported by the MTT metabolic activity assay. These data indicate that polyrotaxanes of this type are promising gene delivery agents both in vitro and in vivo.